Calling device



15, 1930. H. SENGEBUSCH CALLING" DEVICE Filed NOV. 12 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ha'ns 522M501:

Ali 521- Juiy 15, 1930. H. SENGEBUSCH CALLING' DEVICE Filed Nov. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Imreu nr' Hans Senebusch fl fill \II. a l

Patented July 15, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE HANS SENGEBUSCH, or vILLA PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR iuo RESERVE HOLDING COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF nELAwAnI:

' CALLING DEVICE Application filed November 12, 1927. Serial No. 232,772.

The present invention, broadly stated, relatcs to calling devices and is concerned more particularly with impulse senders for automatic telephone systems in which switches,

used for extending a connection, are controlled by current impulses generated either at the calling substation or at a central exchange sender mechanism.

Usually, in cases in which the switches are controlled by sender equipment located in the central exchange, either an operator Or a translator apparatus receives the calling subscribers order, and transmits then the required digits to serially related switches for 1 extending the connection. 'Such systems are well known in the art and will not be discussed in the present case. Instead, a special condition shall be pointed out which arises if a subscriber has occasion to call a limited number of other subscribers frequently. If this is the case, the delay caused by the usual procedure may prove burdensome.

. In order to cope with a situation of this kind and to render eflicient service, a system has been designed and disclosed in the patent to John \Vicks, No. 1,738,624, granted Dec. 10, 1929, in which a special subscribers substation is provided with two calling devices. One is used for extending connections in the regular manner by dialling the unabbreviated digits inaccordance with the directory number of the wanted party, and the other calling device is used for calling certain subscribers with whom the owner of the special substation desires to communicate frequently, by merely dialling one single code digit. This code digit transmitted by operating the code dial does not actuate the regular switch train, but is directed to operate code register mechanism, which, after being thus set by the calling station, transmits the required digits automatically. The subscriber at the special substation is therefore relieved of the labor of dialling a whole numher; subscribers whom he desires to call frequently are assigned single digit code numbers, and, by dialling such a number, the calling subscriber extends the connection in a simple manner.

so It will be understood that the provision of two different calling devices at a special substation involves a number of problems and may present many obvious difficulties. It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel mechanism of this character which embodies features tending to increase its etliciency and its usefulness in practice.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawings, showing Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, which are described below:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the device complete.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of Fig. 1 with the regular calling device located in the center of Fig. 1 removed. This regular calling device will not be described in the instant case. Any known calling device can be used for this purpose, such for example as is disclosed in the patent to Herbert F. Obergfell, No. 1,642,822, issued September 20, 1927, which may be consulted for details.

Fig. 3 is another front view of the calling device.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on line AA of Fig. 3.

Like parts are designated alike throughout all drawings, and, referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, some of the parts shown in these figures have been broken away in order to illustrate details more distinctly.

Referring now specifically to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the complete mechanism comprises the regular calling device 1, with its finger stop 2, and the auxiliary calling device 3, with its finger stop 4. Both calling devices are rotatable in the direction of the arrows. The regular calling device has ten finger holes, and the auxiliary calling device has 25 finger holes, which means, that the first is adapted to send a maximum of 10 impulses at one time, and the second is adapted to transmit impulse series of 25 impulses.

The detailed explanation willnow be presented. Reference to a specific figure will only be given if necessary for the sake of easy understanding.

A cup-shaped base member 7, best seen in Figs. 3 and 4, is provided with an opening in the center, and with two projections and 51, which serve for fastening the regular dial 1 shown in Fi 1. This base member 7 is also provided. wit three holes, two of which are shown at 52 and 53. These holes serves for attachin to the base 7 a ring 38 which forms one hal of a ball bearing assembly. The ring 38 is attached to the base 7 b means of the screws 52' and 53' shown in ig. 4. On the outside of this rin 38 are provided balls 43, which are covered y a ring 35. The ring is movably secured to the ring 38 b means of a cover ring 39 which is fastene to the ring 38 by means of screws 40. It will be seen that the cover rin 39 is providedwith a rojection 41. The finger plate 3 is provised with a flange 42 which overlaps the pro'ection 41 of the cover rin 39.

e finger plate 3 is attac ed to the ring 35 by means of screws 5. It will therefore be seen, that, if the finger plate 3 is rotated, the ring 35 with its flange 36 will, be rotated around the ring 38 which is attached to the base 7. The enterin of dust into the ball bearing is prevented iy the flange 42 of the finger late 3 which overlaps the pro ect1on 41 of tiie cover ring 39.

The bearin ring 35 is provided with a flange 36. The periphery of this flange 36 is provided with teeth, as is best seen in Fig. 3. Attached to the base 7 are bearings 33 which hold a ear wheel 28 rotatable around the axis 34. This gear wheel 28 meshes with the gear 36 provided on the flange of the bearing ring 35. Therefore, when the finger plate 3 is rotated, the gear wheel 28 will rotate in an opposite direction to the rotation of the finger plate 3.

Before continuing the description of the driving mechanism of the special dial, the front view will be explained a little more fully with reference to Figs. 1 and 4. It will be seen that the base 7 has its edge 64 turned in slightly to provide a holding for the number plate 6, which carries the numerals 1 to 25 visible through the finger holes in the plate 3.

The description as presented above will be suflicient for furnishing an understanding of the front part of the calling device and of the main driving mechanism including the bearing and the operation of the gear wheel 28 Attached to the back of the base member 7 are two mounting posts designated 8 and 10. Them mounting fposts carry a mounting plate 12 which is a 9 and 11. The plate 12 can be removed from the rest of the assembly by means of the screws 9 and 11 and carries the following mechanism:

Firml attached to the mounting plate 12 arebrac ets 14 and 23. Mounted rotatably in these brackets is a shaft 19, and attached thereto is the cog wheel 22, the worm gear 21, and the impulse cam 20. These parts and stened thereto by screwstheir relation to the rest of the assembly can best be seenin Figs. 2 and 4. The usual worm shaft and fly ball governor as well as the brake housing for the fly ball governor are mounted between the'bracket 14 and a bracket by means of adjustable bearings 17 and 18. A bracket 13 carries the impulse spring assembly 44, which is rovided with terminals 62 and 63 for attac ing the necessary conductors to the impulse springs. As will be seen later on, the worm gear 21 will be rotated through the action of the dial and will 0 erate the worm shaft 15 and the usual fl all governor. The impulse cam 19 whic is also attached to the same shaft as the worm gear will thereby be rotated and will operate the impulse springs 44.

Secured to the plate 12 is one end of a spiral s ring 47, the attachment being shown in Big. 2 at 65. The other end of the spiral spring 47 is attached to a washer 48 which is firmly secured to a shaft 24 protruding through the plate 12 and carrying at its other end the gear wheel 25. This gear wheel 25 meshes with the gear 28. The action of the spiral spring 47 will therefore tend to act u on the finger plate 3 through the gear w eels 25 and 28 which are meshed to the peripheral gear 36 on the flange of the bearing ring 35. WVhen the finger plate 3 is moved off normal the spring 47 will be tensioned, and, when the finger plate is released. the tension of the spring 47 will move the finger plate back to normal position.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft 24 which carries the gear wheel 25, is a member which carries a gear wheel 26 and a ratchet 27. The gear wheel 26 meshes with the cog wheel 22 operating the worm gear 21. Attached to the gear wheel 25 is a pawl 29 which engages the ratchet 27 and is maintained in this tendency by a spiral spring 30. When the finger plate 3 is moved off normal, the gear 28 will rotate the gear 25 in the manner already intimated above, and the pawl 29 will slip successively over the teeth on the ratchet 27 without moving the ratchet. However, when the dial returns to normal under the action of the spiral spring 47, the gear wheel 25 will rotate in acont-rary direction, and the pawl 29 will have engaged one of the teeth .on the ratchet 27 and will take the ratchet and with it the gear 26 along and rotate them. During the rotation of the gear 26, the worm gear 21 will be moved governed by the fly ball governor in the usual manner. and, since the impulse cam 20 is also attached to the shaft of t e worm gear, it will rotate and will actuate the impulse springs correspondingly.

Referring now particularl to Fig. 2, it will be seen that a part of t e plate 12 has been broken away to show the mechanism of the pawl 29 and the ratchet 27 more distinctly. Rotatable around a pin 59 which is attached to the base 7 is a clutch bracket 31. This clutch bracket has projections 32 and 32, and a clutch arm 31. The projection 32 extends throu' h an opening 58 in the base 7,

and meets t e stop member 56 which is fastened to the bearing ring by means of in Fig. 2. These springs act upon the rojection 32 of the clutch bracket 31, as is best seen in Fi 3, in such a manner, as to remove the clutc arm of 31 from engagement with the pawl 29. However, in normal position of the calling device the stop member 56 acts upon the projection 32 of the clutch bracket 31, overbalancing the action of the spring assembly 45. Therefore, the clutch arm 31' is in engagement with the pawl 29 as is shown in Fig. 3. This is to be considered the normal position of the mechanism.

When the finger plate 3 is moved ofi normal, the stop member 56, shown in Fig. 3, will move to the left, releasing the clutch bracket 31 to the action of the spring assembly 45. Accordingly, the clutch arm 31 will move to the left, thereby moving out of engagement with the pawl 29. During the forward movement of the dial, the gear wheel 25 will move in the direction indicated by the arrow shown in Fig. 3-, and, since the pawl 29 is fastened to the gear wheel 25, the pawl will move with the gear wheel and will slip over the teeth on the ratchet 27 as previously described. This movement will not be interfered with since the clutch arm 31' has been removed from the path of pawl 29. During the return movement of the dial to normal position, the spring assembly 45 will still act uppn the projection 32 of the clutch bracket 31 holding the clutch arm 31' out of the path of the pawl 29. The free movement of the mechanism is therefore not interfered with. Now, when the mechanism returns to normal, the stop 56, shown in Fig. 3, will approach the'projection 32, of the clutch bracket 31, moving the clutch bracket and with it the clutch arm 31 into the path of the pawl 29. This provides a definite stop for the impulse mechanism.

The speed regulation during the return movement of the dial which is taken care of by the fly ball governor mounted on the shaft 15 shown in Fig. 2 has not been gone into in detail because this part of the operation of the mechanism is well known in the art. However, if details of this operation are desired, the patent to Obergfell cited above in connection with the regular dial can. be consulted, and may also furnish additional information concerning parts which are well known in the art and which have not been explained in detail in this specification.

It will be understood that the invention lends itself easily to various modifications withoutvdeparting from its spirit. It will therefore be appreciated that it is not desired to use the invention in the precise manner shown in the drawings but to apply it within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A control device for automatic telephone substations comprising a circular main sup porting shell having a central opening, an impulse transmitting mechanism mounted in said opening equipped with a finger hole dial within the opening,-and a separate impulse transmitting mechanism equipped with a finger hole dial surrounding said opening.

2. A control device for signalling systems comprising a plurality of independently operable impulse generating mechanisms mounted centrally one within the other on a common circular supporting base and forming a common surface plane, the capacity of each mechanism with respect to the generation of impulses responsive to a single actuation increasing with its distance from the center.

3. A control device for signalling systems comprising a plurality of independent impulse transmitting mechanisms of different capacity mounted on a common circular supporting base, and individual actuating means for said mechanisms mounted centrally one within the other in a common surface plane.

4. Acontrol device for signalling systems comprising a plurality of independently operable impulse transmitting mechanisms of different capacity with respect to the transmission of a series of impulses responsive to a single operation, and a corresponding plurality of manually operable actuating means for said mechanisms mounted centrally one within the other in a common plane. I

operable impulse generating mechanisms of difierent capacity, mounted centrally one within the other in a common cup-shaped supporting shell, forming a common surface plane, and each mechanism being independently removable as a unit.

6. A control device for signalling systems comprising a circular main supporting shell, an impulse generating mechanism mounted in an opening in the center of said shell, individual means for said mechanism for manually operating the same, a second impulse generating mechanism mounted circularly on said shell around said opening, and individual means for manually operating said second mechanism.

7 A control device for signalling systems comprising a cup-shaped circular main supporting shell having a circular center opening therein, a ball bearing mounted on the periphery of said openings, a ar flange provided on the outer rotatab e art of said bearing, a gear wheel mount u n said shell and meshing with said gear ange, an impulse Igenerating mechanism mounted on said she and geared to said gear wheel, and manually operable means actuating said gear to operate said mechanism. 7

8. A control device for signalling systems com rising a cup-shaped circular main sup porting shell havin a circular center openmg therein, a ballaring mounted on the periphery of said opening, a gear flange provided on the outer rotatable part of said bearing, a gear wheel mounted u on said shell and meshing with said gear ange, an

impulse generating mechanism mounted on said shell and geared to said gear wheel, and go manually operable means for actuating said gears to operate said mechanism, said means also serving as a dust proof cover for said ball bearing.

9. A control device for signalling systems comprising a cup-shaped circular main supporting shell having 'a circular opening in the center thereof, a ball bearing-attached to said shell peripheral to said opening, the outer (part of said bearing being rotatable and provi ed with a gear flange andwith a stop member, an impulse enerating mechanism mounted on said shell and detachable as a unit, gears for meshing said mechanism with said gear flan e, manually operable means attached to sald rotatable part of said ball bearing for operating said mechanism, contact springs mounted on said shell, and means, including said stop member for limiting the movement of said mechanism and for actuating said contact sprin s.

10. A control device for signalfing systems comprising a cup-shaped circular main supporting shell having a circular opening in t e center thereof, an impulse generating device mounted in said opening, a ball bearing consistin of an inner and outer bearing ring attached to said shell peripheral to said opening, the outer ring of said bearing being rotatable and provided with a gear flange and with a stop member, a second impulse generatin mechanism mounted on said shell and detac able as a unit, gears for meshing said mechanism with said gear flange, means attached to said rotatable part of said ball bearing for serving as a dust protection and for manually operating said mechanism by means of said gears, contact springs mounted on said shell, and means including said stop member for limiting the movement of said second mechanism and for actuating said contact springs.

.11. A control device for signalling systems comprising a cup-shaped main supporting base having an opening therein, a manually operable impulse generating device mounted in said opening, a ball bearing consistin of an inner and an outer ring member att ed to said base peripheral to said opening, a flange carrying a gear provided on said outer bearing member, a rotatable gear wheel provided on said base and meshing with the gear on said flange, a rotatable shaft mounted on said base and carrying a gear wheel meshed with said first gear wheel, a spiral spring attached at one end to said base and at the other end to said. shaft tending to hold said gear mechanism in a normal position, manually operable means attached to said outer bearing member for actuating said gear mechanism against the increasing tension of said spiral spring, a second impulse producing mechanism mounted on said base, and other gear means secured to said shaft for actuatln said mechanism under the force produce by said spiral spring.

12. A control device for signalling systems comprising a cup-shaped main supporting base having an opening therein, a manually operable impulse generating device mounted in .said opening, a ball bearing consistin of an inner and an outer ring member attac ed to said base peripheral to said opening, a flange carrying a gear provided on said outer bearing member, a rotatable gear wheel provided on said base and meshing with gear von said flange, a rotatable shaft mounted on said base and carrying a gear .wheel meshed with said first gear wheel, a spiral spring attached at one end to said base and at the other end to said shaft tending to hold said gear mechanism in a normal position, manuall operable means attached to said outer aring member for actuating said gear mechanism against the increasing tension of said spiral spring, said means also serving as a dust protection for said bearing, a second impulse generating mechanism mounted on said base, other gear means mounted on said shaft for actuating said mechanism duringthe return movement of said gears under the force of said spiral spring, a stop member mounted on said outer bearing member, and means 00-- operating with said stop member for confining the actuation of said second mechanism within definite limits.

13. A control device for signalling systems comprising a cup-shaped main supporting base having an opening therein, a manually operable impulse generating device mounted in said opening, a ball bearing consisting of an inner and an outer ring member attached to said base peripheral to said opening, a flange carrying a gear provided on said outerbear-' mg member, a rotatable gear wheel provided on said base and meshing with the gear on said flange, a rotatable shaft mounted on said base and carrying a gear wheel meshed with said first ar wheel, a spiral s ring attached at one en to said base and at t 1e other end to said shaft tending to hold said gear mechanism'in a normal position, manually operable means attached to said outer bearino member for actuating said gear mec anism against the increasing tension of said spiral spring, said means also serving as a dust protection for said ball bearing, a second impulse generating mechanism mounted on said base, other independently movable gear means mounted on said shaft for actuating said second mechanism during the return motion .of said gears under the force of said spiral spring, contact springs mounted on said base, a stop member attached to said outer bearing member, and means cooperating with said stop member for confining the actuation of said second impulse mechanism within certain definite limits and for operating said contact springs in the normal position of said second impulse mechanism.

14. In a control device for signalling systerms, a cup shaped shell, a plurality of independently operable impulse generating mechanisms each having an operating member mounted one wholly within the other on said shell, said operating members forming'a common surface plane.

15. In a control device for signalling systems, a cup shaped shell, a plurality of independently operable impulse generating mechanisms mounted one within the other on said shell, and means permitting each mechanism to be independently removable from the other as a unit.

16. In a control device for signalling systems, a plurality of independently operable impulse generating mechanisms, and means for mounting said mechamsms one wlthm 'the other to form a unitary structure with each mechanism independently removable as a unit.'

17. The combination with a calling device I having an operable dial for use in controlling automatic switches; of a second calling device to which the first is secured, having a dial surrounding the dial of the first mentioned calling device.

18. In a control device for signalling systems, a pluralityof separately operable impulse transmitting mechanisms, finger holed dials for operating saidmechanisms mounted centrally, one wholly within the other, on a common circular supporting base.

19. In a control device for signalling systems, a plurality of separately operable impulse transmitting mechanisms mounted upon a common base, rotatable operating members-therefor, one within the other, and means clear of the path of rotation of one of said members for limiting the angle of rotation of the other.

- In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 9th day of November, A. D-

HANS SENGEBUSCH. 

